Grapple-logging apparatus

ABSTRACT

A carriage is pulled along a haulback cable in a retrieving direction by a mainline cable which also turns a triple pulley on the carriage to pull a grapple closing cable to hold closed a grapple member 11 through a force multiplying pulley and support the carriage. The triple pulley is actuated by a strawline cable to release the grapple member through a nonmultiplying, release cable. The triple pulley has differential portions for taking up and paying out the grapple closing cable and the release cable.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Henry C. Rowe-ll PAD. Box 366, Myrtle Point, Oreg. 97458 [21] Appl. No. 806,959 [22] Filed Mar. 13, 1969 [45] Patented July 20, 1971 [54] GRAPPLE-LOGGKNG APPARATUS 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] 1115.61 1. 294/111, 212/81, 212/84, 212/89, 212/90 [51] llnt.C1 B66c 3/12, B66c 3/14 [50] Field all Search 294/111; 212/84, 81, 90, 89,127-129 [56] Relereuces Qited UNITED STATES PATENTS 846,042 3/1907 Miller eta]. 212/89 1,171,393 2/1916 Morris 294/111 1,369,963 3/1921 Carlson .1 294/11 1 2,994,554 8/1961 Harry 294/111 3,407,942 10/1968 Mclntyre et al. 212/84 FOREIGN PATENTS 933,298 8/1963 Great Britain 212/81 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examinerlvlerle F. Maffei Altorney-Buckhorn, Blore, Klarquist and Sparkman ABSTRACT: A carriage is pulled along a haulback cable in a retrieving direction by a mainline cable which also turns a triple pulley on the carriage to pull a grapple closing cable to hold closed a grapple member 111 through a force multiplying pulley and support the carriage. The triple pulley is actuated by a strawline cable to release the grapple member through a nonmultiplying, release cable. The triple pulley has differential portions for taking up and] paying out the grapple closing cable and the release cable.

PATENTEU JULZOIB?! 3,594,034

sum 1 [1F 3 INVENTOR. f a 2 H r: N RY c. ROWELL BUCKHORN,BLORE, KLARQUIST & SPARKMAN AT TOHNE Y5 2.1mm! .VIHV

INVENTOR. HE NRY C. ROWELL BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLARQUIST 8. SFARKMAN ATTORNFYS GIIAI IPLEIJGGGII IG AFFAIIA'IIIIJIE DESCRIPTION This invention relates to grapple logging apparatus, and particularly to a log grapple and a carriage therefor.

Present grapple-logging apparatus of the type under consideration is either bulky, complicated and expensive, or if of simple, inexpensive design, is difficult to operate and fails to grasp and hold many logs properly.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a heavy duty grapple logging apparatus which is of simpler and less expensive design than the first type of grapple logging apparatus referred to above, which has operating characteristics superior to either of such types.

A more particular object is to provide a grapple consisting of only two major parts connected by a single pivot and equipped with a grapple releasing cable and a grapple closing cable so operatively connected to the two grapple parts as to enable proper suspension and effective closing of the grapple together with a carriage having a differential pulley.

The invention provides a grapple logging apparatus includ ing a carriage and a grapple having a pair of arms which are closed by a grapple closing cable which also suspends the grapple and passes over a force doubling pulley on one of the arms. The carriage is adapted to be suspended and moved by a haulback line and has a triple pulley having a large drum portion to which the grapple closing cable is secured and a small drum portion to which a grapple release cable is secured, the grapple release cable being connected to one of the grapple arms directly without force multiplying elements therebetween.

Various other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is an elevational view of a grapple of a grapple logging apparatus forming one embodiment ofthc invention;

FIG. 22 is a diagrammatic view, on smaller scale than FIG. I, of the apparatus of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIG. I;

FIG. I is an elevational view of the grapple talten from the side opposite that shown in FIG. ll;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section talten along line ol'F G. ll;

FIG. ti is a generally vertical section taken along line of FIG. l; 7

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, partially sectional, clevational view of the apparatus of FIG. I;

FIG. II is an enlarged, vertical sectional view taken along line ill-h of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line W9 of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 2, the grapplelogging apparatus cornprises a carriage and a grapple III, which includes two grap ple members, a short member II and a longer member I5. Both have curved grapple portions I5 and it? of similar form, and the grapple members are pivotally connected together by a pivot shaft III at a. place on the met hers to dispose the curved grapple portions in symmetrical r ion about vertical centerline through the pivot shaft A release cable III is anchored at to the short grapple member III at a place intermediate the length of the curved grapple portion I5 and in spaced relation to the 'ivot shaft I9. The release cable engages the right side of we as the parts are shown in FIG. 2. The sheave is rotatably supported on a shaft M carried by a supporting structure integral with the curved grapple portion l7. This supporting structure includes a pair of spaced generally parallel arms .Ill and 333, arm 33 being joined at its lower end to the curved portion l7 (FIG. 4i) intermediate the ends thereof, and arm Ell being joined at its lower end to the upper end or" the curved grapple portion 117. The upper ends of the arms Fill and flit are joined by a crosspiece 35.

One end of the sheave shaft 29 is carried by a web ill (FIG. 6) located in spaced relation between the crosspiece 35 and a hanger plate 43. The hanger plate and web are connected to the crosspiece by two end pieces I5, one of which is shown in FIG. h. The other end of the sheave shaft 129 is carried by the upper end of the hanger plate ill. The sheave 27 is thus located at a level above the pivot shaft IQ and the anchor point 23, and is disposed in laterally offset relation to the right of the anchor point Slit, as the parts are shown in FIG. 2. The lower end of the hanger plate I3 supports a projecting end of the shaft W as best shown in FIG. 5. A nut I7 is recessed into the hanger plate and retains the shaft in place.

A grapple-closing cable SI (FIG. 2) is anchored at 53 to the supporting structure at about the juncture of the arm 311 and the crosspiece 55. The cable 511 is disposed in a plane dis placed from that of the cable Zll as is apparent from FIG. 6, and extends downwardly and to the right, as the parts are shown in FIG. 2 and is reeved around a sheave 55 and then extends upwardly and to the left and engages the lefthand side of a sheave 57. The sheave 55 is disposed between an enlarged bifurcated end portion 59 (FIG. I) provided on the grapple member Ill, and is mounted on a shaft till carried by such end portion. The sheave 57 is disposed between the web ll and the crosspiecc 35 (FIG. ti) and as the parts are shown in FIG. 2, slightly to the left of the sheave 27. The sheave 57 has a shaft till carried by the web ill and the crosspicce 55. A fairlead as is mounted on the crosspiecc and hanger plate to guide the cable 51.

FIG. ll depicts the grapple in its suspended position and in condition for embracing a log (or other object). When this occurs, the line 5ll is hauled in to pull the sheave 55 and the anchor point 55 toward one another to pull the curved grapple portions I5 and 17 toward one another to firmly grip the log. Further hauling in of the line SI will serve to lift the log. The line 211 is also hauled in, but only at a rate to keep it from becoming slack.

The carriage 9 (FIG. '7) supports the grapple Ill and its load, and is supported by the upper reach of a haulback cable having a lower reach secured to a swivel Ill connected to a post 72 mounted on a frame 73 of the carriage. The cable 70 is connected to a power driven takeup winch 7d and travels over a sheave ltl'7 supported by a fixed post or spar llllilt, and the cable III travels around an anchored sheave 75.

A strawline or double mainline cable 7b is secured to a first, full diameter pulley portion 77 of an integral, triple pulley and is wound thereon in one direction, and a mainline cable 79 is secured to the portion 77 and is wound thereon in the opposite direction. The pulley 'III is mounted for rotation on a removable shaft dtl secured to the frame "/35 by a out fill. The upper end of the closing cable 5i is secured to a second, full diameter pulley or drum portion of the pulley 7d and is wound thereon in the same direction as that in which the cable at is wound on the pulley portion 7'7. The upper end of the release cable 2t is secured to a third, half-diameter pulley or drum portion d3 of the pulley 7d and is. wound thereon in the direction opposite to that in which the cable in is wound on the pulley portion 77.

The frame '73 includes fork-defining bracltets Illl mounting grooved pulleys d ll resting on the upper reach of the haulback cable 79. The pulleys 911 are mounted on posts or axles 92 carried by the brackets 5th. The frame 73 also includes a top plate 93, side plates WI and 95, a bottom plate as and an end plate 97. The end plate 97 has cable guides M and 99 therein and the bottom plate has cable guides Illh and till therein.

The cable in travels over pulley M19 on the post I08 to power winch W5, and the cable III travels over pulley lllltl on the post lllh to a power winch I05.

OPERATION To pick up a log, the haulback cable 70 is loosened to lower the carriage I and the grapple III with the cable 79 slack and the cable 76 taut to hold the grapple arms Ill and I3 open.

The grapple is placed over the log, and then'the cable 76 is slackened and the cable 79 is tightened tocause the pulley 78 to pay out the cable 21 and take up the cable 51 at twice the rate as that in which the cable 2] is payed out, This closes the grapple on the log. Then the haulback cable is tightened to lift the carriage, the grapple and the log, the mainline cable being kept taut. Then, the mainline cable is pulled to move the carriage with the grapple and the log to the left as viewed in FIG. 7, the haulback cable being payed out and the strawline cable being taken upjust enough to keep undue slack out ofit.

When the log arrives at the desired spot, the cable 76 is tightened and the cable 79 is loosened to open the grapple to release the log. The haulback cable 70 then is actuated to move the carriage and the grapple out to pick up another log.

The end portions of the cables 21, 51, 76 and 79 are suitably anchored to the pulley 78 as, for example, by passing them through holes, as illustrated in FIG. 8, in the hollow pulley portion 77 and the drum portions 82 and 83 and placing knots or otherwise forming enlarged portions of the cable ends that will not pass through the holes. The end portions of the cables also may be secured to the pulley by anchor clips, if desired. While the mainline cable 79 is shown below the strawline cable 76, these may be reversed along with reversing the directions of winding the cables 21 and 5] on the drum portions of the pulley.

What I claim is:

1. In a grapple-logging apparatus,

a grapple unit including a first grapple arm having a log-engaging portion and a frame portion, a second grapple arm having a log-engaging portion and a second portion and pivoted on the first grapple arm at a pivot point intermediate the ends of both arms at the inner ends ofthe logengaging portions of the arms, and a cable guide mounted on the free end of the second portion of the second grapple arm, and cable guide means positioned above the pivot point,

a carriage unit including a frame, a pair of trolley rollers adapted to support the frame on a haulback cable, a multiple pulley carried by the frame and having a drive portion, a grapple closing drum portion having a predetermined diameter and a grapple releasing drum portion of one-halfof said diameter,

a grapple-closing cable secured at one end to the frame portion at one side of the pivot point opposite to that at which the cable guide is positioned and extending around the cable guide in substantially a 333W turn and past the cable guide means and around the grapple closing drum portion in a predetermined direction, the other end of the grapple-closing cable being secured to the grapple-closing drum portion,

a grapple-releasing cable secured at one end to the log-engaging portion of the second grapple arm and extending through the cable guide means and the grapple-releasing drum portion in a direction opposite to that in which the grapple closing cable extends around the grapple closing drum portion, the other end of the grapplereleasing cable being secured to the grapple-releasing drum portion, and

means for selectively turning the pulley in opposite directions for closing the grapple and for opening the grapple.

2. In a grappledogging apparatus,

a frame including a body and bracket means,

trolley rollers mounted on the bracket means for suspending the frame,

a triple pulley mounted rotatably on the body and including a closing cable drum portion of one diameter, an opening cable drum portion of a fraction of the diameter of the closing cable drum portion and a third drum portion,

a grapple,

a grapple-closing cable extending around the closing cable drum portion and connected to and supporting the grapan opening cable extending around the opening cable drum portion to the grapple, and

a mainline cable extending around the third drum portion.

3. in a grapple-logging apparatus,

a grapple-closing cable,

a grapple-opening cable,

a carriage unit including trolley means, winding means for taking up the grapple-closing cable at a predetermined rate of speed and for paying out the grapple-opening cable at a rate which is a predetermined fraction of said predetermined rate and means for actuating the winding means,

a grapple unit supported by the grapple-closing cable and including a pair of arms, and cable-guiding means on the arms serving to pay out the grapple-closing cable at one rate of speed and take up the grapple-opening cable at a rate of speed which is said predetermined fraction of said one rate of speed,

the carriage unit including a differential pulley including a first drum portion having a predetermined diameter and a second drum portion having a diameter equal to said predetermined fraction of said predetermined diameter, means securing one end of the grapple closing cable to the first drum portion, and means securing one end of the grapple opening cable to the second drum portion, and

means for turning the pulley to take up one of the cables and pay out the other cable.

4. The grapple-logging apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pulley includes a third drum portion and the means for turning the pulley includes a mainline cable and a strawline cable wound in opposite directions around and secured to the third drum portion.

5. The grapple-logging apparatus of claim 3, wherein the carriage unit includes trolley roller means and a frame supported by the trolley roller means and mounting the differential pulley. 

1. In a grapple-logging apparatus, a grapple unit including a first grapple arm having a logengaging portion and a frame portion, a second grapple arm having a log-engaging portion and a second portion and pivoted on the first grapple arm at a pivot point intermediate the ends of both arms at the inner ends of the log-engaging portions of the arms, and a cable guide mounted on the free end of the second portion of the second grapple arm, and cable guide means positioned above the pivot point, a carriage unit including a frame, a pair of trolley rollers adapted to support the frame on a haulback cable, a multiple pulley carried by the frame and having a drive portion, a grapple closing drum portion having a predetermined diameter and a grapple releasing drum portion of one-half of said diameter, a grapple-closing cable secured at one end to the frame portion at one side of the pivot point opposite to that at which the cable guide is positioned and extending around the cable guide in substantially a 180* turn and past the cable guide means and around the grapple closing drum portion in a predetermined direction, the other end of the grapple-closing cable being secured to the grapple-closing drum portion, a grapple-releasing cable secured at one end to the log-engaging portion of the second grapple arm and extending through the cable Guide means and the grapple-releasing drum portion in a direction opposite to that in which the grapple closing cable extends around the grapple closing drum portion, the other end of the grapple-releasing cable being secured to the grapplereleasing drum portion, and means for selectively turning the pulley in opposite directions for closing the grapple and for opening the grapple.
 2. In a grapple-logging apparatus, a frame including a body and bracket means, trolley rollers mounted on the bracket means for suspending the frame, a triple pulley mounted rotatably on the body and including a closing cable drum portion of one diameter, an opening cable drum portion of a fraction of the diameter of the closing cable drum portion and a third drum portion, a grapple, a grapple-closing cable extending around the closing cable drum portion and connected to and supporting the grapple, an opening cable extending around the opening cable drum portion to the grapple, and a mainline cable extending around the third drum portion.
 3. In a grapple-logging apparatus, a grapple-closing cable, a grapple-opening cable, a carriage unit including trolley means, winding means for taking up the grapple-closing cable at a predetermined rate of speed and for paying out the grapple-opening cable at a rate which is a predetermined fraction of said predetermined rate and means for actuating the winding means, a grapple unit supported by the grapple-closing cable and including a pair of arms, and cable-guiding means on the arms serving to pay out the grapple-closing cable at one rate of speed and take up the grapple-opening cable at a rate of speed which is said predetermined fraction of said one rate of speed, the carriage unit including a differential pulley including a first drum portion having a predetermined diameter and a second drum portion having a diameter equal to said predetermined fraction of said predetermined diameter, means securing one end of the grapple closing cable to the first drum portion, and means securing one end of the grapple opening cable to the second drum portion, and means for turning the pulley to take up one of the cables and pay out the other cable.
 4. The grapple-logging apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pulley includes a third drum portion and the means for turning the pulley includes a mainline cable and a strawline cable wound in opposite directions around and secured to the third drum portion.
 5. The grapple-logging apparatus of claim 3, wherein the carriage unit includes trolley roller means and a frame supported by the trolley roller means and mounting the differential pulley. 